Taiwanese sue Micron – for dumping!

Micron DRAM 'cheaper' in Taiwan than in US

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Well this is a turn-up for the books. The Taiwanese Semiconductor Association (TSIA) has taken up cudgels against Micron, accusing the belligerent US DRAM maker of dumping DRAM chips in Taiwan. Micron is selling DRAM modules cheaper in Taiwan than in the US, according to the TSIA. This is a classic definition of dumping. Also named in the suit are fellow American companies Texas Instruments and IBM. But let's be clear about this, the TSIA's real target is Micron. In its pursuit of Asian DRAM dumpers , the US Department of Commerce sometimes comes across as the legal wing of Micron. For years, the company has been a thorn in the flesh of Far-eastern DRAM makers, especially of the South Korean and Taiwanese variety, with its accusations of dumping. Now the tables are turned. It will be interesting to see what arguments Micron will trot out in its defence - phrases like "without merit"; "manufacturing scales of economy"; "technology lead"; and "competitive currency"; spring to mind. Micron will have to take the suit seriously: following the acquisition of TI's DRAM business, Micron accounts for more than half of the Taiwanese memory market. Micron's Taiwanese $150 million memory revenues account for 10 per cent of the company's DRAM turnover. Taiwan's ITC will rule on the Micron complaint within 45 days. ®